The Queen of Sorrow by Sarah Beth Durst

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Strong language, A couple of fade to black love scenes.


Queen Daleina has yearned to bring peace and prosperity to her beloved forest home—a hope that seemed doomed when neighboring forces invaded Aratay. Now, with the powerful Queen Naelin ruling by her side, Daleina believes that her dream of ushering in a new era can be realized.

And then Naelin’s children are kidnapped by spirits.

Nothing is more important to her than her family, and Naelin would rather watch the world burn than see her children harmed. Blaming the defeated Queen Merecot of Semo for the kidnapping, Naelin is ready to start a war—and has the power to do it.

But Merecot has grander plans than a bloody battle with her southern neighbors.

Overall I liked this book, and I struggled to give it a rating. In the end I decided not to give it a full 4 stars. The reasons for that are, first, it was an enjoyable book, but not one I had a hard time putting down. Second, Daleina was just way too trusting of Merecot and naive in the last book, and her continuing to want Merecot to be her friend after everything Merecot did was just stupid in my opinion. Third (minor spoiler here), I really wanted the problem with the spirits and humans coexisting to be completely solved, and I did not feel satisfied with the way that ended up.

I very much enjoyed most everything else about this book. Ven and Naelin where written very well. They ended up being my favorite characters in the series, and I liked how things ended up for them. I liked how things ended up for most of the other characters in the book as well. I enjoyed reading about the different kingdoms in Renthia and what they were like, even if a few of them were very brief glimpses. This series definitely could have been expanded and made into more books about those kingdoms, but I'm happy with just the three. Though I do hear that there is a fourth standalone book set in the same world.

This series as a whole is very good, and I have to say that the cover artist did an amazing job on the covers for this series. As a whole, I would probably rate the series 3.5 stars. The main thing I felt was missing to push it up to the 4 star range was relationship development. I liked the romance between Ven and Naelin, and although it wasn't done great, I thought it was developed well enough, and I felt the chemistry between the characters. However, I thought the relationship between other characters, was not so well developed. I never felt much chemistry between Daleina and Hamon. To top it off, he was way too overprotective, to the point of being annoying. I laughed when his mother called him a mother hen, because that was what I thought about him. Then there was the relationship between Erin and Cajara that just came completely out of nowhere. Talk about insta-love. I would have bought a great friendship more than I bought the insta-love thing.

The Bridge to Belle Island by Julie Klassen

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult, Christian Fiction
Genre: Mystery, Romance
Content: Clean


 
After a humiliating mistake, lawyer Benjamin Booker resolves to never again trust a beautiful woman. When an old friend is killed, the senior partner isn't satisfied with Bow Street's efforts and asks Benjamin to investigate. Eager to leave London for a while, Benjamin agrees. Evidence takes him to a remote island on the Thames, a world unto itself, shrouded in mist and mystery. Soon he finds himself falling for the main suspect--a woman who claims not to have left the island in ten years. But should he trust her?

I always enjoy Julie Klassen's books so I was really looking forward to reading this one. Mostly I liked it, but it is a departure from her other books. All of her other books are romances that include a little bit of mystery, but this time around we have a mystery that includes a little romance. I have to say that I thought the romance felt a little bland in this one, but I'm not really surprised about that, since the book focused more on the mystery than the romance. I think because it's a Julie Klassen book, I automatically expected the romance to be more like her other books. That being said, this was not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting.

Overall this was a good read with a pretty solid mystery plot and characters that were easy to like. For the author's first mystery, it was pretty good. I've read so many mysteries that I was able to pick out who the perpetrator was easily, but I wouldn't say it was glaringly obvious. I enjoyed the book despite that. I'm not sure if the author will keep writing mysteries, but I would read another one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book.

December 2019 Book Club: NPCs

NPCs by Drew  Hayes

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, LitRPG
Content: Strong Language


What happens when the haggling is done and the shops are closed? When the quest has been given, the steeds saddled, and the adventurers are off to their next encounter? They keep the world running, the food cooked, and the horses shoed, yet what adventurer has ever spared a thought or concern for the Non-Player Characters?

In the town of Maplebark, four such NPCs settle in for a night of actively ignoring the adventurers drinking in the tavern when things go quickly and fatally awry. Once the dust settles, these four find themselves faced with an impossible choice: pretend to be adventurers undertaking a task of near-certain death or see their town and loved ones destroyed.

You know those characters in the game that you buy your supplies from, the bartender at the local tavern, the town guard, the one you have to rescue from the goblins, or the one that sends you on that annoying quest to rescue the girl from the goblins? Well those are the characters that are front and center in this book. Who knew they really had more to them, than just standing there doing their job?



This is only the second litrpg I've read (they were both for my book club) and it was enjoyable enough. I liked the concept of the NPCs taking over the adventure. I would say that this book is very entertaining and good at being what it is, but if you are looking for something deep then don't look here. I wasn't, so it worked for me, and hopefully no one who is reading litrpg thinks they are going to get a deep, complex story. That's not what the genre is about.

The characters here were quite likable, and I liked that they tried to fit the stereotypes of certain types of role playing characters, but things didn't go the way they planned. It was fun watching them each discover their hidden talents. I'm mildly interested in seeing what happens to the characters in the next book, but not enough to read a whole series so I will probably stop here.

Overall this was a fun read, but it's just not really my thing. I was tempted to give it 4 stars just for doing what it does so well, but decided 3.5 was enough.

This Rough Magic by Mary  Stewart

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Suspense, Romance
Content: Strong Language



When Lucy's sister Phyllida suggests that she join her for a quiet holiday on the island of Corfu, Lucy is overjoyed. Her work as an actress has temporarily come to a halt. But the peaceful idyll does not last long. A series of incidents, seemingly unconnected - but all surrounded in mystery - throws Lucy's life into a dangerous spin, as fear, danger and death - as well as romance - supplant the former tranquillity.

I finally got a Mary Stewart read in this year. I've been slowly working my way through her books for a few years now. Slowly because there are only so many of them, and I am really trying to savor them. That being said, some have been better than others, but I've never gone away feeling like I didn't enjoy any of them. From what I had read about her books, I really thought I had probably already read the best ones, but somehow I missed out on reading this one sooner. I think this one is one of my favorites. A big part of that, being that it reminded me a little of The Moonspinners. Probably because this one was also again set in the Greek Isles.

I love being transported to the Greek Isles by Mary Stewart. Each time she makes me feel as though I'm there. This time we are on beautiful Corfu.

I really want to go there someday, but for now I'll have to live vicariously through Mary Stewart's books.

As for the rest of the story, I thought it was very good, even though it was obvious who the perpetrator was. I liked the love interest and the main character was very capable. I really liked that about her. There is the standard Mary Stewart instalove, but it didn't bother me in this book. There were also some very suspenseful moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. I would probably rank this one 4th on my list.

Here's how I would rank the ones I've read so far.

1. The Moonspinners
2. Nine Coaches Waiting
3. Madam Will You Talk?
4. This Rough Magic
5. The Ivy Tree
6. My Brother Michael
7. Wildfire at Midnight
8. Airs Above the Ground
9. The Stormy Petrel

Finding Holly by Bridget E. Baker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance
Content: Clean



James Fulton is not a nice man. His father taught him the value from tearing things apart, and the world confirmed those lessons.

Paisley's easy to love. She loves the simple joys in life. She doesn't have an ambitious bone in her body. Everyone loves Paisley, and for good reason.

When Paisley and James meet, no one expects sparks to fly. They're too different. They're terrible for each other. Opposites can attract, but in this case, Paisley sees James for what he is: a bad egg. She runs the other direction.

Do bad eggs always stink? Or can Paisley and James discover a path ahead together?

This is, as of right now, the last book in this series. I say "as of right now" because the author is thinking about maybe writing another one sometime in the future. I will definitely read it if she does.

I went into this book thinking I was going to really dislike James. He wasn't very nice in the book he was introduced in, but I should have known that Bridget Baker would be able to win me over to his side. I ended up loving James! People can change, and not everything was exactly the way it seemed with him. I was so happy to see Paisley finally find someone who was perfect for her. I've loved her in every one of the books. They made such a cute couple. I swear I could just picture this being a Hallmark Channel movie. This ended up being my second favorite book in the series, right behind Finding Liberty.

If your looking for pure escapist romance, then look no further, this series will most likely be for you.

Thanks to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The Reluctant Queen by Sarah Beth Durst

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Strong language, Implied sexual relationships


Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .
And those spirits want to kill you.
It’s the first lesson that every Renthian learns.

It took we a while to get back to this series, even though I enjoyed the first book. Because of that, I wasn't sure if I was still going to be into the story, but I shouldn't have worried, this ended up being just as good as the first book. That being said, it was a bit different.

In this book we are introduced to some new characters. I ended up liking all of them, especially Naelin. As another reviewer said, it was refreshing to have an older protagonist in this story, in this case a mother of two children. I liked her story arc and what ultimately ends up happening with her character. It was easy to predict how things would end up in the end with the queens, and who was behind the bad things that were happening, but that didn't ruin the book for me. With the way this book left things, I'm eager to read the last book in the trilogy.

On a side note- There seems to be a bit of confusion as to whether this is YA or not. It certainly reads like a YA book, and most people seem to be categorizing it as YA, but the author lists this under her adult category on her webpage, so I'm calling it adult.

Forbidden Ways by Karen Ann Hopkins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance
Content: A couple of steamy scenes, one involving sex, that are moderately descriptive.
 
CJ West is an aspiring artist, nursing a broken heart. Still recovering from a brutal attack that nearly killed her, she needed to get away. The quaint, tranquil countryside seemed like the perfect place to start over.

Joshua Miller is a widower, running a busy farm, and raising three children with help from his grandmother. He came to Blood Rock to escape the ghosts of his past that still haunt him.

When CJ rents a cottage from Joshua, sparks fly, and their lives will never be the same again. Because a relationship between the two is strictly forbidden. He’s Amish and she’s an outsider. Even so, their passion for each other is intense and all-consuming. But how can they possibly be together?

I blazed right through this book. I was up until 2 am reading it! I couldn't help it, the forbidden love thing just got me. I already read how C. J. and Joshua met in the Serenity's Plain Secrets series, and I was really hoping for more. This book did not disappoint! I like C. J. a lot, even better than Serenity, and I enjoyed seeing how the relationship between her and Joshua developed in this book. The way this book ended left me really wanting to read more. Will C. J. become Amish or will Joshua go English? I can't wait to find out! My only complaint is that like the other series this one has some typos, like missing words.

P.S. I don't think I will be able to continue this series if C. J. goes Amish.

Evil in My Town by Karen Ann Hopkins

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Strong language, A school shooting is depicted


 
After a tragic mass shooting in Blood Rock, Sheriff Serenity Adams is shocked to discover ties to the local Amish settlement, and her teenage niece, who barely survived the carnage. The investigation takes her from the terror of a massacre to an equally horrific crime relating to a missing woman in the community. Serenity must risk her own life to bring law, order, and safety to the town she loves.


This is the latest book in this series, the "other" Amish mystery series I read. There are quite a few similarities between this one and the Kate Burkholder series. So much so that at times I wonder if one author doesn't get ideas from the other, but then there are probably only so many original ideas out there for Amish mysteries.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I'm so glad we've grown past the early stages of Serenity and Daniel's relationship. It felt more mature and Serenity seemed more mature as a character in this book. She still has some misgivings about marrying Daniel, but they were concerns that a real person would have considering their situation.

There wasn't really a lot of mystery about who did what in this book. It was pretty easy to figure out, but there was some mystery about why things happened and what happened to a couple of missing women. There is also Serenity's niece who is a danger magnet if I ever saw one! There is a school shooting in this book and we are left wondering what she knows about the boy who did the shooting and what she isn't telling her aunt and why. That secret is revealed slowly through flashbacks. I liked the the way that was done.

After reading the last book in the series I was hoping there would be more about Serenity's friend C.J. in this one. I really liked the direction that book took with her character and Joshua Miller, but I was disappointed that C. J. was hardly in this book. After finishing this book I found out why. The author is writing a spin-off series about them! I was so happy about that, I had to pick that one up and read it right away.

Lies Jane Austen Told Me by Julie Wright

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Romance
Content: Clean



Ever since Emma read Pride and Prejudice, she's been in love with Mr. Darcy and has regarded Jane Austen as the expert on all things romantic. So naturally when Emma falls for Blake Hampton and he invites her home to meet his parents, she is positive an engagement is in her future. After all, Blake is a single man in possession of a good fortune, and thus must be in want of a wife.

First off I want to say that you shouldn't read the blurb for this book if you don't want some spoilers. It gives away too much.

This book starts out with the main character, Emma going away for the weekend to her boyfriends home where she thinks she will meet his parents, but it doesn't go that way at all, and she ends up leaving after dumping him. Then she meets his brother and awkwardness ensues, for a while at least, until she really begins to have some feelings for him, despite trying really hard not to. I liked Emma for the most part, except for one annoying habit that I will mention in a minute. I also really liked Lucas, and I was rooting for them to get together despite, of course, the misunderstandings that occur.

There were a few things that bothered me, like the way the character Blake is written makes him seem like he has some identity issues. He isn't very consistent at all and thus he doesn't come off very believable. Then there is the thing that our main character Emma believes about Lucas throughout most of the book, even though it doesn't make any sense considering what she knows about him. It's a case of her thinking something and just deciding it's true. That annoyed me so much! I figured out what the situation was pretty easily, so Emma should have been able to as well, or she could have at least just asked Lucas what was going on there.

The little snippets from Jane Austen were a real nice touch in the book. I did find that Emma was a bit too much in dreamland about what kind of man she thought she would find based off her obsession with Jane Austen books. Then she got disgruntled and blamed it on Jane when she didn't. I mean come on, you aren't even living in the same time period! Overall this was a fun read and I do recommend it if you like reading clean contemporary romance.

What is Hidden by Lauren Skidmore

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fairy Tale
Content: Clean

 
“The Chameleon is on the loose.” Despite the whispers that sprung up, the Speaker continued, “He’s stealing our masks and assuming the identities of the victims. It is our duty to warn you—do not trust the masks alone.”

In Venesia, your mask is your life. It is your face, your rank, and your identity. Without a mask, you are nothing.

Which makes the Chameleon the most dangerous criminal in the land.

This has been on my to-read list for several years. It's a loose retelling of Cinderella with the roles switched in some aspects of the story. I almost decided against reading it at one point, but I'm glad I didn't. It was deliciously romantic. I loved the masks and the prince was dreamy. I also love that this story wasn't love at first sight like Cinderella normally is. In my opinion this is better than the story it was based on. My only complaint is that I didn't really buy the prince's reaction to a certain reveal near the end. If you are in the mood for a quick, clean romantic read, then try this one.

In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Cursing, Drug use, Talk of unwanted pregnancies and an abortion


 
In a dark, dark wood

Nora hasn't seen Clare for ten years. Not since Nora walked out of school one day and never went back.

There was a dark, dark house

Until, out of the blue, an invitation to Clare’s hen do arrives. Is this a chance for Nora to finally put her past behind her?

And in the dark, dark house there was a dark, dark room

But something goes wrong. Very wrong.

And in the dark, dark room....

Some things can’t stay secret for ever.


This is the first book I've read by Ruth Ware. I've got several of her books on my to-read list, but I was honestly disappointed in this one. There is a trend I've noticed and it's that mystery/thrillers nowadays seem to incorporate a lot of unlikable characters. I mean, I expect there to be some characters that I don't like in these type of books, but I really want to be able to like someone, preferably the main character, or else it's like watching one of those horror movies where you could care less who gets killed, because they are all stupid, unlikable people.

While I didn't really dislike the main character in this story, I didn't really like her either. I was indifferent towards her, which could actually be worse. In fact the only character I liked at all was the one who left the party early because she was worried about having left her new baby at home. She was considered the boring one, but she was also the most sensible one.

The main issue I had with the main character is that she was still not over a high school boyfriend ten years later. This is just not very plausible to me, and the events that led to their break up ten years ago seemed didn't seem very plausible to me either. I was also bothered by the drug use, and adults caving to peer pressure and doing things they really didn't want to do. It was like they never left high school. Like I said, the one character that decided to leave early because she wasn't enjoying herself is the only one who had any sense. They could have all saved themselves a whole lot of trouble if they had just stayed home.

The best thing about this book is the cover. I really do like the creepy looking tree branches. I'm not going to give up on this author yet, since quite of few of her books sound interesting to me. I hope the next one I read will be better.

The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Content: Strong Language, A sex scene that is not very descriptive

 
Bayr of Saylok, bastard son of a powerful and jealous chieftain, is haunted by the curse once leveled by his dying mother. Bartered, abandoned, and rarely loved, she plagued the land with her words: From this day forward, there will be no daughters in Saylok.

Raised among the Keepers at Temple Hill, Bayr is gifted with inhuman strength. But he’s also blessed with an all-too-human heart that beats with one purpose: to protect Alba, the first girl child born in nearly two decades and the salvation for a country at risk.

After reading Amy Harmon's fantasy novels The Bird and the Sword, and The Queen and the Cure I was eager to read this new one. It ended up not being quite what I expected. Instead of the fairy tale type fantasy feel those books had, this one is a historical fantasy that included some Norse mythology. In the beginning it seemed to lack something compared to The Bird and the Sword, but eventually, as I read on I began to see that this story was something special on its own. It was rather slow paced at times, but for the most part that worked well for this story. Once I got to the last part I saw some glimmers of the same magic that made up The Bird and the Sword, so this book may be a bit different, but it's still very good.

This story is wrought with heartache, but also wonderful triumphs. This is a story about a cursed land and the people who live there and endure. The characters Bayr, Alba, Ghost, and Dagmar became very dear to me. The way their lives intertwined was at times wonderful, and at times heart breaking. This is also a story about love, and there was more than one beautiful love story here.

First there is the love of a parent for a child.

“I am yours, Bayr. Always. My heart is yours. My spirit is yours, and even when I’m dead, I will refuse Valhalla, and I will follow at your heels, watching over you.”

Then there is the forbidden kind of love that burns unrequited.

“You make me want to be seen,” she said, and his gaze shot to hers, searing, searching. “I have always seen you, Ghost.”

And there is the one that grows from childhood friends to romance.

"There is no Alba without Bayr,” she whispered. “Not now. Not then. Not ever again.”

There are, of course, also the characters that do terrible, despicable things, and at times my heart broke for my beloved characters as they went up against the terrible things they had to endure. But as always the best fantasy stories break your heart before you get to the end. Amy Harmon did not disappoint with this story. She has now become a favorite author of mine. There is so much to love about her stories, and this one was no exception. I've yet to read any of her non-fantasy books. but I plan on giving them a try.

unForgiven by Bridget E. Baker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Some gruesome deaths

 
To be feared is lonely. . .

As heir to the evian throne, Judica must be perfect every moment of every day. If she slips up, even once, her mother will replace her. Impossible standards, horrifying decisions, terrible truths—none of these stop Judica from doing what needs to be done. She becomes what her mother demands, what her people need, what she never wanted for herself. But it isn’t enough.

But to be weak is death.

I went into this book thinking there was no way Bridget E. Baker could make me sympathize with Judica. There was just no way I could ever like her after the things she did in Displaced. Wow, was I ever wrong! Reading both sides of the story really does make a difference. I ended up loving Judica.

  "There are two sides to every story, but they can’t both be true, can they? In the second book of the Birthright Series, Bridget E. Baker weaves a tale of bad things done for very good reasons and an unexpected chance at redemption."

That perfectly describes this book. I know the author says this is an optional read, but in my opinion, if you are going to read this series, this is a must read. Lots of things were explained and layers were peeled away so that we were able to see who Judica really is. Along with telling Judica's side of the story, there is also some romance added that was nicely done, and a couple of new characters that I really liked as well.

Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book.

Displaced by Bridget E. Baker

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Some gruesome deaths


My mom should have killed me the day I was born.

Being a twin complicates the Evian line of succession, but Chancery Alamecha is fine letting Judica inherit the throne. After all, she’s the stronger sister—the merciless fighter, the ruthless politician, and the groomed heir. But something unexpected happens when Chancery tries on her mother’s staridium ring, forcing her into a role that she never wanted: the prophesied queen who will prevent the destruction of Earth.

Now I have to kill my sister.

This is the first book in a new series by Bridget E. Baker. I've enjoyed everything she has written so far, and this one ended up being good as well. In the beginning I was a little unsure how much I was going to like it, but it ended up getting better and better as it progressed.

Chancery was easy to like and her sister, Judica was easy to hate. However, I was very conflicted about their mother. I was infuriated at her for some of the things she let Judica get away with, and I don't think Chancery's view of her mother is completely accurate. I kept thinking that Chancery would have some real issues with her mother over the things she lets Judica get away with. However after reading the book and seeing how brutal their culture could be, it made a little more sense why things were the way they were. I think the author is really good at showing how her characters feel, and why they feel that way, and there are definitely some layers that need to be peeled away from some of these characters. This being a series, I know it's not all going to happen in this book, so I can be patient.

I liked the romance in this book, even though the love triangle was slightly annoying. I think we all know who Chancery will end up with. I think the other guy was just thrown in to add some tension. The high school thing that was added late in the book wasn't one of my favorite parts either, even though I understand it was added to help Chancery figure out if she would want to live a human life. Other than those small things I liked this book very much.

I do have to add that there was a lot of blood in this. It wasn't really gory, just a bit descriptive, and it was shocking how brutal these people were. I'm not sure being next to immortal would make me less concerned about the kind of injuries that are inflicted in this book. I mean it still hurts! I would think they wouldn't want to repeat that too often, but clearly they are not like me. I also wondered why they didn't get sick of ruining their clothes and having to clean up all the blood. Practice swords are a thing, maybe they should try using them? 😂 Anyway, it's an interesting world and I plan on reading the sequels.

Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book.

Death Brings a Shadow by Rosemary Simpson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Some pretty brutal deaths, including a lynching


In spring 1889, Prudence and Geoffrey set sail from New York Harbor on a private yacht bound for Bradford Island, where her friend Eleanor Dickson is to be wed. The Sea Islands along the Georgia coast serve as a winter playground for the likes of the Carnegies, Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and Dicksons. Despite her Yankee pedigree, Eleanor is marrying a Southern gentleman, Teddy Bennett, and Prudence is thrilled to be the maid of honor.

But days before the wedding, the bride is nowhere to be found. A frantic search of the island turns up her drowned corpse in an alligator-infested swamp. Prudence is devastated, but as they prepare the body for burial, she and Geoffrey discover evidence of bruising that indicates Eleanor was held under—most dishonorably murdered.

This was an ok addition to the series. I liked it but I didn't. I feel like this series started out really strong. I loved the first book, and really liked the second one, but the last two have not been as good. They both have the same problems really. One, there is no real mystery as to who the murderer is in this book. It was very obvious. The mystery was about why they did it, but that wasn't too hard to figure out either. Once again Prudence was stupidly reckless in the name of independence. She wants to be taken seriously but then does something stupid and gets mad and stamps her foot when Geoffrey follows her. The foot stamping was just childish.

I didn't particularly like the setting of this book. It felt weird and out of wack with the tone of the previous ones. I also thought the dangers of the Island; alligators, snakes, the swamp, etc. were played up a little bit too much. It seemed like no one could go anywhere without something happening.

The whole big theme of this book was the South and how it struggled to recover after slavery. There was a lot of emphasis on how prejudiced the South still was years after the slaves were freed. I've no doubt that was true. There was a mentality there that could only be erased after several generations passed, and unfortunately some still have it. I have a hard time wrapping my head around how people can look at another person as not a human being, but chattel just because they are different.

At this point I think I will continue on with the series, but that could end up changing. I'm slightly on the fence.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an ARC of this book.

October/November 2019 Book Club: Columbus Day

Columbus Day by Craig Alanson

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Sci-fi, Fantasy
Content: Strong language, Mostly off page sex scene 


This was our book club pick for October, and I have to admit, I wasn't too thrilled about it. Military science-fiction isn't my usual kind of read, but it ended up surprising me. It was more space fantasy than anything with some military elements. The Ruhar that attack earth are described as looking like hamsters.

“Hamsters. We have other names for them; rats, weasels, rodents, but with their fine, golden fur, round faces and whiskers, what they most look like are hamsters.”

I couldn't help but think if those Kia Soul commercials.



The book started out pretty funny and was easy to get into at first. The part with the ice cream truck was hilarious.

“Barney, the big purple cartoon dinosaur with the perpetual stupid grin. Barney, and Smurfs, Mickey Mouse, unicorns, and a lot of other fictional characters were painted on the truck. Whoever decided which characters to paint on the truck had made interesting choices, like, why was Iron Man waving to the Smurfs?”



Barney makes more than one appearance in the book.

Unfortunately after they left earth the story slowed down for quite a while. I pushed through though, because my husband assured me that it would get a lot better after the halfway mark. He was right! We are introduced to Skippy at that point, and I must say that Skippy saved the whole book. I won't spoil who Skippy is, but let's just say that I haven't been disappointed yet by this type of character in a book.

I'm just going to leave this here. If you've read the book you'll get it.


This is a nine book series, and while I enjoyed this one I'm not sure I liked it enough to read nine books, so the jury is still out on whether I will continue, but it was fun.

End Game by Lindsay Buroker

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult Genre: Space Opera Content: Strong language, a moderately detailed sex scene, lots of innuendo and talk of sex done in a humorous way



Alisa Marchenko has reunited with her daughter, and even though she hasn’t figured out how to get Jelena to accept Leonidas yet, she dreams of the three of them starting a new life together. They can return the Star Nomad to its original purpose of running freight and staying out of trouble (mostly).

Before that can happen, Alisa must fulfill the promise she made to Jelena: that she and her crew will retrieve young Prince Thorian, the boy who has become Jelena’s best friend. But Thorian was kidnapped by the rogue Starseer Tymoteusz, the man who wants to use the Staff of Lore to take over the entire system—and the man who may have the power to do it.

Unfortunately, Tymoteusz hasn’t left a trail of breadcrumbs. Finding him will be difficult, and even if they’re successful, facing him could be suicidal. To have a chance of surviving, Alisa will have to come up with her greatest scheme yet.

 
This is the last book in the series, and it wrapped everything up pretty neatly. I had the same issues with this book that I had with previous ones in the series. Too much emphasis on the main character's love life, and too many innuendoes. It was almost every page. A little of it was amusing, but the amount of it added to these books almost completely ruined the series for me. Luckily, I enjoyed the other aspects of the books enough to keep reading.

Needless to say, what started out as a good solid space opera with some edge of your seat moments in the first 2 books, ended up becoming "swoon and lust over the cyborg" at every turn. Also, Abelardus's actions were never taken seriously enough or dealt with. He constantly invaded Alisa's privacy by reading her thoughts, and everyone else's too.

Alisa ended up being a rather weak character in many aspects. She was the captain of the ship but could never get a handle on anything the crew did. They walked all over her. This was done to some comic effect with the chickens and the duck pond, and that was ok to a point, but like the romance and innuendos, it went too far.

Overall, I would give the series 3 stars. I do like the author's writing style when she doesn't devolve into too much of one thing, and I would like to try reading another one of her series eventually.

Force of Nature by Jane Harper

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Strong Language


Five women reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking along a muddy track.
Only four come out on the other side.

The hike through the rugged Giralang Ranges is meant to take the office colleagues out of their air-conditioned comfort zone and encourage teamwork and resilience. At least, that's what the corporate retreat website advertises.

Federal Police investigator Aaron Falk has a keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing hiker, Alice Russell. Because Alice knew secrets, about the company she worked for and the people she worked with.

The four returning women tell Falk a tale of fear, violence and fractured trust during their days in the remote Australian bushland. And as Falk delves into the disappearance of Alice, he begins to suspect some dangers ran far deeper than anyone knew. 


After reading The Dry, I had big expectations for Force of Nature. I knew going in that it was going to be a bit different from The Dry, and I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about a completely different setting and set of characters.

Those things ended up being non-issues for me. What I ended up not liking were the stupid choices the women made out on the hike. There was a point when they could easily have found their way back to where they should have been, but instead overconfidence on the part of one person got in the way and they all ended up following her.

This kept me guessing but it also didn't seem to drop many clues. The story was told and gradually it revealed what happened. The details, of course were not pretty, and the relationships between the women, and the different secrets they each had were unraveled slowly.

“She was smiling in every photo, looked truly happy in none.”

Have you ever met someone who smiled all the time but never truly looked happy? It's in the eyes. That's what the women in this book were all like. None of them were very happy, and most of them were not all that likeable, but seeing the reasons for their own individual actions, and how their personal relationships and problems affected them on the hike was interesting.

The best part of this book was Falk himself. I very much enjoyed the parts where he examined his past with his father. His coworker was also a nice touch, and I liked that she was able to draw out the part of Falk that he kept hidden. She could see him for who he really was, despite the fact that he was hiding behind those walls. I was slightly disappointed that she was engaged to marry someone else.

I'm not sure if or when there will be another book in this series, but I'm enjoying it enough to read another one.

Grindhelm's Key by Nick Moseley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Content: Strong Language (the British variety)



It’s the New Year and the whole world seems to have taken a resolution to make Trev Irwin’s life a misery. He’s trying to hold down two jobs, one of which involves dealing with dangerous, immoral and evil creatures of darkness. And if working in the property business wasn’t bad enough, he’s also got vampires, werewolves and angry elementals to deal with in his other job helping out the Custodians, the United Kingdom’s supernatural police force.

Turning up to work tired, battered and bruised isn’t conducive to good performance, and Trev is on his final warning at SmoothMove estate agents. He’s been given a short time in which to convince the management he’s worth keeping on, and he can’t afford any distractions or slip-ups. Such as his ex-girlfriend Sarah calling him out of the blue to tell him that she’s being held hostage and needs his help, or a psychotic zombie with a soul-sucking lantern ambushing him in an alley.

This ended up being one of my favorite books in the series so far. I was pleased at some of the revelations. In particular regarding Sarah. And that we got more info on Nona. Everyone was present for this book. I didn't realize how much I had missed Grandad and Agatha in the previous book, and even the real estate office. Yeah...I have no idea why I missed that part, but anyway, Trev finally makes a decision about joining the Custodians, who by the way, I always want to call the Guardians for some reason. I think it may be because custodians make me think of janitors.

Not only are Trev's allies, ex girlfriend, and coworkers all in this book, but there is also Ezekiel Barker, who is fast becoming a favorite character of mine. I loved every chapter he was in. I hope he continues to pop up in future books.

There was some really cool inter-dimensional (I guess that's the right way to say it?) travel in this book, and I'm really interested in finding out more about that stuff. But the real treat in this book was Jack. He was a creepy good character, and not someone I would ever want to meet. I also may be looking at those Jack-0-Lanterns on my front porch a little differently this Halloween.

 I'm not sure when the next book will be published, but I'm looking forward to reading it.

Spectre's Rest by Nick Moseley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Content: Strong Language (the British variety)



It’s been a stressful few months for Trev Irwin, number one estate agent in the town of Brackenford. Trev’s hoping for a quiet return to selling third-rate houses to first-time buyers. No such luck.
 
The Custodians, the clandestine supernatural police force of the United Kingdom, have been trying to recruit Trev into their ranks for some time. He’s reluctant, not least because he knows that there’s a mysterious traitor in the organisation who’s been trying to get him killed. But when a high-profile fugitive is captured and offers to trade some information for a lenient sentence, it looks as if there might be a chance for Trev to unmask the traitor and protect himself. All he has to do is go to the Custodians’ prison, Spectre’s Rest, and interview the prisoner.
 
It seems like a simple enough task. However Spectre’s Rest has its own secrets. Secrets that stretch back through the prison’s dark and violent past. Secrets that can no longer remain hidden.
 
Secrets that might mean the death of everyone inside the prison’s walls…  

I enjoyed reading this book, not quite as much as the previous one though. I think the negatives for me were that the fight scenes were a little too drawn out for me, and I found it hard to believe that people who deal with supernatural beings would have had such a hard time believing Trev when he told them he saw some of the weird things he was seeing. But those are small things and they didn't overshadow the things I liked.

The positives were that the setting was really creepy. How could an old, practically abandoned mental hospital not be? And like the previous books, this one made me laugh quite a bit. I also liked the role Oscar played in the book, but that ending! It almost broke my heart.

I do have just one question though. Do all British people eat pizza with a fork?

A Twist in the Tail by Leighann Dobbs

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery, Cozy Mystery
Content: Clean



Josie Waters has to admit she may have acted a bit hastily when she agreed to purchase the Oyster Cove Guesthouse – a charmingly gabled Victorian mansion on the breathtaking Maine coast – from elderly family friend Millie Sullivan. Anyway, how hard can running a guesthouse be?

The truth is, Oyster Cove Guesthouse is a mouldering money pit with a cohort of regular guests who are as mischievous as a litter of kittens. And Josie might have made a mistake in promising to adopt Oyster Cove’s two resident cats Nero and Marlowe. Josie has never had a cat before… let alone two feisty felines who think they own the place.

Ok, it’s not going well. At least it can’t get any worse, Josie thinks. Until her first guest ends up dead.

This was a charming read. While it's nothing amazing, it did keep me turning the pages. I've only read a few cozy mysteries, a genre that I have a hard time taking seriously, but I think that's probably the point. This series in particular features a couple of feline detectives who usually find the clues before the humans. I thought it was fun, especially the chapters from the point of view of the cats. Though not really believable, it was entertaining and that's pretty much the nature of cozy mysteries. It was amusing to see how the cats would get the human's attention so that they could lead them to the clues they found. I was happy that it wasn't blatantly obvious who the killer was. There were a lot of red herrings thrown in there to keep me guessing for a while.

One small issue I had with the book was that it seemed to keep confusing the building inspector with a health inspector. They are two very different things and one person doesn't normally do both of those jobs. But maybe in a small town like this they've got someone qualified in both fields, who knows. Other than that, this was a quick, fun read that I recommend if you like cozy mysteries. If you aren't sure what a cozy mystery is, think Hallmark Channel mysteries, and that pretty much sums it up. I'll probably pick up the next book in this series the next time I want something light to read.

The Orchid Throne by Jeffe Kennedy

My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Content: I didn't get far enough in to tell, but I've read other reviews that say there are some pretty steamy sex scenes. Some have said they aren't very romantic and too graphic. That's not my cup of tea, so it's probably good I didn't finish this.


A PRISONER OF FATE
As Queen of the island kingdom of Calanthe, Euthalia will do anything to keep her people free—and her secrets safe—from the mad tyrant who rules the mainland. Guided by a magic ring of her father’s, Lia plays the political game with the cronies the emperor sends to her island. In her heart, she knows that it’s up to her to save herself from her fate as the emperor’s bride. But in her dreams, she sees a man, one with the power to build a better world—a man whose spirit is as strong, and whose passion is as fierce as her own…

A PRINCE AMONG MEN
Conrí, former Crown Prince of Oriel, has built an army to overthrow the emperor. But he needs the fabled Abiding Ring to succeed. The ring that Euthalia holds so dear to her heart. When the two banished rulers meet face to face, neither can deny the flames of rebellion that flicker in their eyes—nor the fires of desire that draw them together. But in this broken world of shattered kingdoms, can they ever really trust each other? Can their fiery alliance defeat the shadows of evil that threaten to engulf their hearts and souls?
 
This is a fantasy romance that sounded interesting, but unfortunately I just couldn't get into it. It moves at a snails pace, and there is just so much description of her clothing and such. It is also hard to tell whose point of view I'm reading, at least in the ARC, because the chapter headings do not denote whose point of view it is. I've decided to abandon this because I want to read something more engaging. I did give it an extra star for the world building, which I thought was good.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

September 2019 Book Club: Sabriel

I haven't been posting much about book club lately or the creative ideas we've all had for refreshments, but I'm going to try to start remembering to do that. I almost always forget to take pictures, but his time I remembered after we had eaten half of the dessert! Our book this month was Sabriel by Garth Nix and there is a lot of death and necromancy on it, so we decided to make our brownies into a graveyard. It helped greatly that it's the end of September and there are loads of Halloween decorations to choose from.

 And now for my review of the book:


Sabriel by Garth Nix

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: One character overhears people having sex in the next room.



Since childhood, Sabriel has lived outside the walls of the Old Kingdom, away from the random power of Free Magic, and away from the Dead who refuse to stay dead. But now her father, the Charter-Mage Abhorsen, is missing, and to find him Sabriel must cross back into that world. With Mogget, whose feline form hides a powerful, perhaps malevolent spirit, and Touchstone, a young Charter Mage, Sabriel travels deep into the Old Kingdom. There she confronts an evil that threatens much more than her life--and comes face-to-face with her own hidden destiny.


Sabriel was our book club book for September. I've known about this book for some time. One of my daughters loved it as a teen and had recommended it, but I never got around to reading it. While I can see why she liked it, especially as a young teen, I did feel like there were some things missing for me. The book started off slow, and the story didn't pick up for me until after Mogget was introduced. Mogget easily became my favorite character, because talking cats are awesome! With the exception of Mogget, the characters were a little dull in general, and lacked depth, and the romance that blossoms between two of them was kind of blah and not well developed.

As for the world, I thought it was interesting, but the world building wasn't as well thought out as I would have liked. I had trouble figuring out what sort of time period the book was set in at first, and the addition of a few real world things was a little confusing to me, as this was supposed to be a fantasy world. What I really liked about this book was the magic. The bells were interesting and different, and the fact that the book included necromancers made it unique from most things I've read. I also liked that necromancy itself wasn't evil, but it was what the user chose to do with the ability that was good or evil.

“Death and what came after death was no great mystery to Sabriel. She just wished it was.”

This book deals with a lot of death and that can be pretty dark, but the way it was handled in the book it didn't feel nearly as dark as it could have been. Despite the dark content the writing felt very young adult, almost middle grade to me, and I think that's the real problem I have with the book. The writing style is a little too young for some of the content, which would be more suitable for older teens, and that, in turn causes the book to lack the depth I was expecting. That being said, if you are a fan of YA fantasy and want something that doesn't include a lot of romance you might really enjoy this book. I would recommend at least giving it a try.

The Dry by Jane Harper

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Content: Strong language, Abuse and incest are mentioned and vaguely described


 
After getting a note demanding his presence, Federal Agent Aaron Falk arrives in his hometown for the first time in decades to attend the funeral of his best friend, Luke. Twenty years ago when Falk was accused of murder, Luke was his alibi. Falk and his father fled under a cloud of suspicion, saved from prosecution only because of Luke’s steadfast claim that the boys had been together at the time of the crime. But now more than one person knows they didn’t tell the truth back then, and Luke is dead.

Amid the worst drought in a century, Falk and the local detective question what really happened to Luke. As Falk reluctantly investigates to see if there’s more to Luke’s death than there seems to be, long-buried mysteries resurface, as do the lies that have haunted them. And Falk will find that small towns have always hidden big secrets.

I enjoyed this mystery quite a lot. It's set in a small farming town in Australia that is going through a drought. I thought the author did a wonderful job of describing the dismal circumstances and the feeling that went along with them. There was a distinctly depressing feel to the town in this book. The drought permeated everything, and you could really feel the tensions rising in the town as they dealt with it.

The prologue to this book did a good job of setting the tone and drawing me in. I liked how we follow the blowflies as they feed on the dead in the heat of this parched landscape, until they eventually invade the crime scene.

“It wasn’t as though the farm hadn’t seen death before, and the blowflies didn’t discriminate. To them there was little difference between a carcass and a corpse."

After the prologue the book ended up being rather slow for a while, but once the investigation began things picked up nicely. There were several unsavory characters in this little town with no shortage of red herrings thrown into the story, and they were very convincing. The killer wasn't either of the people I thought it could end up being. Finally at one point well into the story, something clued me into who it was, and it was a surprise. That right there earned this book a fourth star from me. If a mystery can keep me guessing, then in my opinion it has done it's job. That being said, there are a couple of things that I wish would have happened differently. The main one being the way someone goes unpunished, but this being a series, maybe we will eventually see some retribution there.

I seem to be drawn to mysteries that incorporate a person going home and revisiting their past. Usually a past that involves some sort of a mystery, so it's no surprise that this book ended up on my to-read list. Most of the time these type of books have been stand-alones, but with this book being the first in a series, I am concerned that the second book may not have the same feel or draw me in like this one did. I enjoyed this enough to continue on with the series though, so I guess I'll find out.

A Golden Grave: A Rose Gallagher Mystery by Erin Lindsey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Mystery, Paranormal
Content: Strong Language


 
Rose Gallagher always dreamed of finding adventure, so her new life as a freshly-minted Pinkerton agent ought to be everything she ever wanted. Only a few months ago, she was just another poor Irish housemaid from Five Points; now, she’s learning to shoot a gun and dance the waltz and throw a grown man over her shoulder. Better still, she’s been recruited to the special branch, an elite unit dedicated to cases of a paranormal nature, and that means spending her days alongside the dashing Thomas Wiltshire.

But being a Pinkerton isn’t quite what Rose imagined, and not everyone welcomes her into the fold. Meanwhile, her old friends aren’t sure what to make of the new Rose, and even Thomas seems to be having second thoughts about his junior partner. So when a chilling new case arrives on Rose’s doorstep, she jumps at the chance to prove herself – only to realize that the stakes are higher than she could have imagined.

This second book in the Rose Gallagher series was, in my opinion even better than the first. While I felt that the previous book was a bit slow at times, I didn't feel that way about this one at all. It was nice to be back with Rose and Thomas, and Clara as well. This time around the mystery involves several mysterious deaths that Rose and Thomas are sure have a supernatural element to them. As they investigate Rose goes undercover and attends a ball for the first time. I really enjoyed reading those chapters with Rose out of her element.

The most noteworthy thing about this book is the fact that the case they are working on involves an assassination attempt on young mayoral candidate Theodore Roosevelt. Along the way they also meet Mark Twain, and Nikola Tesla, whose inventions play a big part in solving the mystery. I thought the author did an excellent job of blending historic figures and events into a fictitious story.

Another thing I especially enjoyed was the little bit of romance that was added. I was afraid the author was going to string us along for a lot longer before anything significant happened, but that wasn't the case. That's not to say that there aren't some kinks to work out. Feelings were aired, but there is the whole 'this could never work' scenario to get through, but I'm sure things will eventually work out.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Content: Strong Language, an attempted rape


 
Eighteen-year-old Liobhan is a powerful singer and an expert whistle player. Her brother has a voice to melt the hardest heart, and a rare talent on the harp. But Liobhan's burning ambition is to join the elite warrior band on Swan Island. She and her brother find themselves joining a mission while still candidates. Their unusual blend of skills makes them ideal for this particular job, which requires going undercover as traveling minstrels.

Their mission: to find and retrieve a precious harp, an ancient symbol of kingship, which has gone mysteriously missing. Faced with plotting courtiers and tight-lipped druids, an insightful storyteller, and a boorish Crown Prince, Liobhan soon realizes an Otherworld power may be meddling in the affairs of the kingdom.

This book is set in the same world as the Blackthorn and Grim series, but I did not realize it was going to be about the children of Blackthorn and Grim. That was a sweet surprise! I instantly liked the characters Liobhan and Brocc. Dau took a little while longer to grow on me, but that was as it was supposed to be. In the end Dau ended up being my favorite character. He really grew as a character and I'm looking forward to reading more about him.

I was excited to read a book featuring bards and bardic magic. There aren't a whole lot of them. I also love Marillier's take on the "other world" and its creatures. Most of the books I've read by her follow a similar pattern, and this one was no exception. There is always at least one broken character who has to overcome trauma from the past. Sometimes that trauma is very hard to read about. And there is usually at least one character that has secrets to uncover, sometimes secrets they do not know themselves. This is a formula that I obviously enjoy a great deal because I keep coming back for more.

I liked that the book ends with the main story wrapped up, but it leaves smaller threads that can be expanded upon in the next two books, and I'm looking forward to reading them.

Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Goodreads for providing me with ARCs of this book.

Hangman's Pond by Nick Moseley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Content: Strong Language (the British variety)



“Typical Monday,” Trev Irwin thought. “I spilled my breakfast, my car wouldn’t start, and someone’s trying to kill me...”

I liked this book so much more than the first book in the series. There are all kinds of urban fantasy elements here from witches to vampires to Druids, and the action is almost nonstop without being too much. I especially enjoyed the author's take on vampires. Old lady vampires are awesome!

"Nobody’s going to believe that the two of us needed to defend ourselves against a pensioner."  😂

Trev is continuously having to get himself out of predicaments and it's always fun to see how he will do that. It seems everyone wants him dead, but some of his predicaments are his own fault. He sometimes just recklessly does things without thinking them through.

"You may direct your whining at yourself if you wish, but not at me."

I thought the villains were great. There are mad scientists and weird zombie-type people. When the mask came off one of them it reminded me of this scene from the 1979 movie The Black Hole, when this thing's face mask came off.



It was terrifying to me as a kid.

The combination of wit and slightly terrifying adventure make this series great fun. Add interesting creatures and elements like the Greenweave, and the pond witch into the mix, and I'm hooked. And I've said it before, but I'll say it again, I love a book that makes me laugh!

July/August 2019 Book Club: We Are Legion

We Are Legion by Dennis E. Taylor

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Sci-fi, Space Opera
Content: Strong Language



Bob Johansson has just sold his software company and is looking forward to a life of leisure. There are places to go, books to read, and movies to watch. So it's a little unfair when he gets himself killed crossing the street.

Bob wakes up a century later to find that corpsicles have been declared to be without rights, and he is now the property of the state. He has been uploaded into computer hardware and is slated to be the controlling AI in an interstellar probe looking for habitable planets.

3.5 stars.

This was good fun! Our book club read this for July and August and I thought it was very entertaining. There was a lot of humor involved that included multiple copies of Bob. Some of those Bobs had personalities based on characters from pop culture. There was the 'Homer Simpson' Bob, the 'Commander Riker' Bob, the 'Garfield' Bob etc. For me this was the best part of the book. The worst part of the book was trying to keep all of the Bobs straight.

I thought this was a unique idea for a story. There was a lot of geeky nostalgia sprinkled throughout. It reminded me slightly of the way Ready Player One was full of 80s stuff, only it wasn't over done here.

This is a trilogy and while I was entertained by this book, I'm not sure I really want to read all three of them. I guess time will tell.

A Dragon of a Different Color by Rachel Aaron

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
                              Content: An off page sex scene
  
To save his family from his tyrannical mother, Julius had to step on a lot of tails. That doesn’t win a Nice Dragon many friends, but just when he thinks he’s starting to make progress, a new threat arrives.

I adore this series! I loved revisiting Marcy, Julius, and Bob, and of course everyone else too. That being said I do wish this had been the last book. At this point I feel like the story is starting to stretch a bit thin. It could have been wrapped up really well here.

On a side note- It took me a year to read this book, not because I didn't want to, but because this is our road trip series I'm listening to with my daughter, and last year we ended up only getting half way through it. So we finally got to listen to the other half. It was not easy to wait, but I love having these to experience with my daughter while we travel.

“You don't make humanity stronger by making everyone else weak. That's not power. That's just shooting everyone in the foot because you happen to be better at limping than the other guys.”

Perilous Hunt by Lindsay Buroker

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Space Opera
Content: Strong Language, Some mostly off page sex



After failing to catch up with her daughter Jelena so many times, Alisa's optimism is battered, but her determination has never waned. Alisa vows that she will find her daughter if she has to search a million asteroids to do so.

But Jelena and her close friend, Prince Thorian, have attracted the interest of many factions, and the Star Nomad isn’t the only ship on the hunt… 

Another fun entry into the series. We finally get some results! There are a couple of things that bother me about the series. One is that Abelardus continues to get away with violating people's minds without consequence. I wish he had been booted off the ship. I would love to shove him out of an airlock! Another is the way Alisa is constantly thinking about her romance and making suggestive comments. It's funny to a point but it just goes way too far. It kind of took over the whole series. I've only got one book left in the series and I'll definitely read it, especially now that a couple of the main objectives have been reached.

Age of Legend by Michael J. Sullivan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Category: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: Strong Language


After years of warfare, humanity has gained the upper hand and has pushed the Fhrey to the edge of their homeland, but no farther. Now comes the pivotal moment. Persephone’s plan to use the stalemate to seek peace is destroyed by an unexpected betrayal that threatens to hand victory to the Fhrey and leaves a dear friend in peril. Her only hope lies in the legend of a witch, a forgotten song, and a simple garden door. 

I'm very late posting this review. I read this back in July but with vacationing and moving this summer taking up most of my time I am just now getting around to reviewing it. First off, I will say that I ended up really enjoying this book despite the fact that it is probably the weakest one in the series. There are a couple of time jumps in this one, which is different from the previous books in the series. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about that but it ended up not bothering me all that much.

What a strange treasure is innocence, a virtue to the old and a curse to the young, so highly prized but eagerly parted with - the riches of beautiful skin traded for the wisdom of calluses.

  The characters have matured a bit in this book and some have lost their innocence. They've seen some horrible things; gone through some terrible times. There is a revelation about one in particular that left me rather shocked, and it will be interesting to see how this ends up, especially how it will affect the relationship this character has with another one.

Also, there is one part where Suri does something uncharacteristically dumb, but overall I enjoyed the characters just as much as in previous books. The characters are in fact what saved this book for me. Not a whole lot happened for the amount of time that elapsed, but the characters are always well worth reading about in Michael Sullivan's books.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Beasts of the Frozen Sun by Jill Criswell

My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Category: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Content: An off page sex scene



Every child of Glasnith learns the last words of Aillira, the god-gifted mortal whose doomed love affair sparked a war of gods and men, and Lira of clan Stone knows the story better than most. As a descendant of Aillira and god-gifted in her own right, she has the power to read people’s souls, to see someone’s true essence with only a touch of her hand.

When a golden-haired warrior washes up on the shores of her homeland—one of the fearful marauders from the land of the Frozen Sun—Lira helps the wounded man instead of turning him in. After reading his soul, she realizes Reyker is different than his brethren who attack the coasts of Glasnith.

As Lira and Reyker form a bond forbidden by both their clans, the wrath of the Dragon falls upon them and all of Glasnith, and Lira finds herself facing the same tragic fate as her ancestor. The battle for Lira’s life, for Reyker’s soul, and for their peoples’ freedom has only just begun …

I can't really remember why this book looked appealing to me in the first place, other than I think I was under the impression there were actual beasts and dragons in it. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. In the beginning I found it pretty interesting, but as I got deeper into the story it started to get boring. It really doesn't go anywhere, at least not enough to keep me interested.

I got a little tired of the repetitive nature of the story. It seemed like the main characters were constantly hiding from enemies and being captured. I ended up abandoning this at 87%. I know, I was almost finished, but I just realized that I really didn't care anymore and felt like I was wasting my time.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.